classics digests and reviews

“Celebration and The Room” by Harold Pinter

The first (The Room) and the last (Celebration) plays that Harold Pinter wrote. Never a dull moment in them.

Celebration is a “savage farce”, as Pinter himself put it. The scene is set in an upscale restaurant, where a middle-aged couple celebrates their wedding anniversary. The dialogues are revealing at times, hilarious at others, engaging throughout.

The Room, on the other hand, is somewhat subdued. The scene is set in an apartment, where an elderly couple lives and strangers come to visit. The mood changes from mundane to suspenseful, and a bit frightening at the end.